Biology subjects

Wu, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Wu, R. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

USP37 prevents premature disassembly of stressed replisomes by TRAIP

The E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAIP associates with the replisome and helps this molecular machine deal with replication stress. Thus, TRAIP promotes DNA inter-strand crosslink repair by triggering the disassembly of CDC45-MCM2-7-GINS (CMG) helicases that have converged on these lesions. However, disassembly of single CMGs that have stalled temporarily would be deleterious, suggesting that TRAIP must be carefully regulated. Here, we demonstrate that human cells lacking the de-ubiquitylating enzyme USP37 are hypersensitive to topoisomerase poisons and other replication stress-inducing agents. We further show that TRAIP loss rescues the hypersensitivity of USP37 knockout cells to topoisomerase inhibitors. In Xenopus egg extracts depleted of USP37, TRAIP promotes premature CMG ubiquitylation and disassembly when converging replisomes stall. Finally, guided by AlphaFold-Multimer, we discovered that binding to CDC45 mediates USP37s response to topological stress. In conclusion, we propose that USP37 protects genome stability by preventing TRAIP-dependent CMG unloading when replication stress impedes timely termination.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

The histone chaperone FACT induces Cas9 multi-turnover behavior and modifies genome manipulation in human cells

Cas9 is a prokaryotic RNA-guided DNA endonuclease that binds substrates tightly in vitro but turns over rapidly when used to manipulate genomes in eukaryotic cells. Little is known about the factors responsible for dislodging Cas9 or how they influence genome engineering. Using a proximity labeling system for unbiased detection of transient protein interactions in cell-free Xenopus laevis egg extract, we identified the dimeric histone chaperone FACT as an interactor of substrate-bound Cas9. Immunodepletion of FACT subunits from extract potently inhibits Cas9 unloading and converts Cas9s activity from multi-turnover to single-turnover. In human cells, depletion of FACT delays genome editing and alters the balance between indel formation and homology directed repair. Depletion of FACT also increases epigenetic marking by dCas9-based transcriptional effectors with concomitant enhancement of transcriptional modulation. FACT thus shapes the intrinsic cellular response to Cas9-based genome manipulation most likely by determining Cas9 residence times.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Mitotic CDK promotes replisome disassembly, fork breakage, and complex DNA rearrangements

DNA replication errors generate complex chromosomal rearrangements and thereby contribute to tumorigenesis and other human diseases. Although the events that trigger these errors are not well understood, one candidate is mitotic entry before the completion of DNA replication. To address the impact of mitosis on DNA replication, we employed Xenopus egg extracts. When mitotic CDK (Cyclin B1-CDK1) is used to drive these extracts into mitosis, the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAIP promotes ubiquitylation of the replicative CMG (CDC45/MCM2-7/GINS) helicase at stalled forks and at forks that have completed DNA synthesis. In both cases, ubiquitylation is followed by CMG extraction from chromatin by the CDC48/p97 ATPase. At stalled forks, CMG removal results in fork breakage and complex end joining events involving deletions and template-switching. Our results identify TRAIP-dependent replisome disassembly as a novel trigger of replication fork collapse and propose it underlies complex DNA rearrangements in mitosis.\n\nHIGHLIGHTSO_LITRAIP-dependent MCM7 ubiquitylation removes all CMGs from chromatin in mitosis\nC_LIO_LICMG unloading from stalled forks causes replication fork breakage\nC_LIO_LIReplication fork breakage in mitosis causes complex rearrangements\nC_LIO_LINew model of replication fork collapse\nC_LI

biochemistry↗