The localization of condensin along chromosomes is crucial for their accurate segregation in anaphase. Condensin is enriched at telomeres but how and for what purpose had remained elusive. Here, we show that fission yeast condensin accumulates at telomere repeats through the balancing acts of Taz1, a core component of the shelterin complex that ensures telomeric functions, and Mit1, a nucleosome remodeler associated with shelterin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn most eukaryotes, meiotic crossovers (COs) are limited to 1-3 per chromosome, and are prevented from occurring close to one another by CO interference. The fission yeast , an exception to these general rules, was reported to have the highest CO number per chromosome and no or weak interference. However, global CO frequency was indirectly estimated, calling for confirmation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreak-induced replication (BIR) is a highly mutagenic eukaryotic homologous DNA recombination pathway that repairs one-ended DNA double strand breaks such as broken DNA replication forks and eroded telomeres. While searching for cis-acting factors regulating ectopic BIR efficiency, we found that ectopic BIR efficiency is the highest close to chromosome ends. The variations of ectopic BIR efficiency as a function of the length of DNA to replicate can be described as a combination of two decreasing exponential functions, a property in line with repeated cycles of strand invasion, elongation and dissociation that characterize BIR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTy1 mobile DNA element is the most abundant and mutagenic retrotransposon present in the genome of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Protein regulator of Ty1 transposition 105 (Rtt105) associates with large subunit of RPA and facilitates its loading onto a single-stranded DNA at replication forks. Here, we dissect the role of RTT105 in the maintenance of genome stability under normal conditions and upon various replication stresses through multiple genetic analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn , the absence of Pif1 helicase induces the instability of G4-containing CEB1 minisatellite during leading strand but not lagging strand replication. We report that RPA and Pif1 cooperate to maintain CEB1 stability when the G4 forming strand is either on the leading or lagging strand templates. At the leading strand, RPA acts in the same pathway as Pif1 to maintain CEB1 stability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelomere anchoring to nuclear envelope (NE) is a key feature of nuclear genome architecture. Peripheral localization of telomeres is important for chromatin silencing, telomere replication and for the control of inappropriate recombination. Here, we report that fission yeast quiescent cells harbor predominantly a single telomeric cluster anchored to the NE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMammalian CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) complex fulfills numerous functions including rescue of the stalled replication forks and termination of telomerase action. In fission yeast lacking the CTC1 ortholog, the Stn1-Ten1 complex restricts telomerase action via its sumoylation-mediated interaction with Tpz1. We identify a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-interacting motif (SIM) in the carboxyl-terminal part of Stn1 and show that this domain is crucial for SUMO and Tpz1-SUMO interactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelomere maintenance mechanism is poorly studied in quiescence, a reversible non-proliferative state. We previously described in fission yeast a new mode of repair of telomeres named STEEx, that specifically operates in post-mitotic cells harboring eroded telomeres. This mechanism, promoted by transcription-induced telomeric recombination, prevents cells to exit properly from quiescence, suggesting that STEEx act as an anti-proliferative barrier.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile the mechanisms of telomere maintenance has been investigated in dividing cells, little is known about the stability of telomeres in quiescent cells and how dysfunctional telomeres are processed in non-proliferating cells. Here we examine the stability of telomeres in quiescent cells using fission yeast. While wild type telomeres are stable in quiescence, we observe that eroded telomeres were highly rearranged during quiescence in telomerase minus cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelomeres are complex nucleoprotein structures that protect the extremities of linear chromosomes. Telomere replication is a major challenge because many obstacles to the progression of the replication fork are concentrated at the ends of the chromosomes. This is known as the telomere replication problem.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReplication protein A (RPA) is a highly conserved heterotrimeric single-stranded DNA-binding protein involved in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. In fission yeast, the Rpa1-D223Y mutation provokes telomere shortening. Here, we show that this mutation impairs lagging-strand telomere replication and leads to the accumulation of secondary structures and recruitment of the homologous recombination factor Rad52.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHistone H3 di- and trimethylation on lysine 4 are major chromatin marks that correlate with active transcription. The influence of these modifications on transcription itself is, however, poorly understood. We have investigated the roles of H3K4 methylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by determining genome-wide expression-profiles of mutants in the Set1 complex, COMPASS, that lays down these marks.
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