Biology subjects

Poovathumkadavil, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Poovathumkadavil, D..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Ubiquitin ligase TRAIP plays an essential role during the S-phase of unperturbed cell cycle in the resolution of DNA replication - transcription conflicts

Cell division is the basis for the propagation of life and requires accurate duplication of all genetic information. DNA damage created during replication (replication stress) is a major cause of cancer, premature aging and a spectrum of other human disorders. Over the years, TRAIP E3 ubiquitin ligase has been shown to play a role in various cellular processes that govern genome integrity and faultless segregation. TRAIP is essential for cell viability, and mutations in TRAIP ubiquitin ligase activity lead to primordial dwarfism in patients. Here, for the first time, we have determined the mechanism of inhibition of cell proliferation in TRAIP-depleted cells. We have taken advantage of the auxin induced degron system to rapidly degrade TRAIP within cells and to dissect the importance of various functions of TRAIP in different stages of the cell cycle. We find that upon rapid TRAIP degradation, specifically in S-phase, cells cease to proliferate, arrest in G2 stage of the cell cycle and undergo senescence. Our findings reveal that TRAIP works in S-phase to prevent DNA damage at transcription start sites, caused by replication-transcription conflicts.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2021

The p97 cofactor Ubxn7 facilitates replisome disassembly during S-phase

Complex cellular processes are driven by the regulated assembly and disassembly of large multi-protein complexes. In eukaryotic DNA replication, whilst we are beginning to understand the molecular mechanism for assembly of the replication machinery (replisome), we still know relatively little about the regulation of its disassembly at replication termination. Over recent years, the first elements of this process have emerged, revealing that the replicative helicase, at the heart of the replisome, is polyubiquitylated prior to unloading and that this unloading requires p97 segregase activity. Two different E3 ubiquitin ligases are now known to ubiquitylate the helicase under different conditions: Cul2Lrr1 and TRAIP. Here we have found two p97 cofactors, Ubxn7 and Faf1, which can interact with p97 during replisome disassembly in S-phase. Only Ubxn7 however facilitates efficient replisome disassembly through its interaction with both Cul2Lrr1 and p97. Our data therefore characterise Ubxn7 as the first substrate-specific p97 cofactor regulating replisome disassembly in vertebrates.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

Mitotic replisome disassembly in vertebrates

Recent years have brought a breakthrough in our understanding of the process of eukaryotic DNA replication termination. We have shown that the process of replication machinery (replisome) disassembly at the termination of DNA replication forks in S-phase of the cell cycle is driven through polyubiquitylation of one of the replicative helicase subunits Mcm7. Our previous work in C.elegans embryos suggested also an existence of a back-up pathway of replisome disassembly in mitosis. Here we show, that in Xenopus laevis egg extract, any replisome retained on chromatin after S-phase is indeed removed from chromatin in mitosis. This mitotic disassembly pathway depends on formation of K6 and K63 ubiquitin chains on Mcm7 by TRAIP ubiquitin ligase and activity of p97/VCP protein segregase. The mitotic replisome pathway is therefore conserved through evolution in higher eukaryotes. However, unlike in lower eukaryotes it does not require SUMO modifications. This process can also remove any helicases from chromatin, including \"active\" stalled ones, indicating a much wider application of this pathway than just a \"back-up\" for terminated helicases.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2018

A cell cycle-coordinated nuclear compartment for Polymerase II transcription encompasses the earliest gene expression before global genome activation

Most metazoan embryos commence development with rapid cleavages without zygotic gene expression and their genome activation is delayed until the mid-blastula transition (MBT). However, a set of genes escape global repression during the extremely fast cell cycles, which lack gap phases and their transcription is activated before the MBT. Here we describe the formation and the spatio-temporal dynamics of a distinct transcription compartment, which encompasses the earliest detectable transcription during the first wave of genome activation. Simultaneous 4D imaging of expression of pri-miR430 and zinc finger genes by a novel, native transcription imaging approach reveals a pair of shared transcription compartments regulated by homolog chromosome organisation. These nuclear compartments carry the majority of nascent RNAs and transcriptionally active Polymerase II, are depleted of compact chromatin and represent the main sites for detectable transcription before MBT. We demonstrate that transcription occurs in the S-phase of the cleavage cycles and that the gradual slowing of these cell cycles are permissive to transcription before global genome activation. We propose that the demonstrated transcription compartment is part of the regulatory architecture of nucleus organisation, and provides a transcriptionally competent, supporting environment to facilitate early escape from the general nuclear repression before global genome activation.

developmental biology↗