Project description:Transcription is a major obstacle for replication fork progression and a cause of genome instability. Such instability increases in mutants with a suboptimal assembly of the nascent messenger ribonucleo-protein particle (mRNP), as THO/TREX and the NPC-associated THSC/TREX-2 complex. Here we show that yeast sac3∆ and thp1∆ cells accumulate genome-wide replication obstacles as determined by the distribution of the Rrm3 helicase. Such obstacles preferentially occur at long and highly expressed genes, to which Sac3 and its interacting partner Thp1 are preferentially bound in wild-type cells.
Project description:Ifitm3 (interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 3) was previously identified as an endosomal antiviral effector protein that blocks viral infection1-4. In analyses of gene expression data from patients with B-cell leukemia and lymphoma, we identified Ifitm3 as one of the strongest predictors of poor clinical outcome. In normal resting B-cells, Ifitm3 was minimally expressed and mainly localized in endosomes. However, engagement of the B-cell receptor (BCR) and PI3K-activation strongly induced expression of Ifitm3 and phosphorylation of its N-terminus at Y20, resulting in accumulation at the cell surface. In B-cell leukemia, oncogenic kinases induced phosphorylation at Y20, resulting in constitutive plasma membrane localization of Ifitm3. Ifitm3¯ / ¯ naïve B-cells developed at normal numbers, however, B-cell activation upon antigen encounter, germinal center formation and production of antigen-specific antibodies were compromised. Likewise, oncogenes that typically induce development of leukemia and lymphoma failed to transform Ifitm3¯ / ¯ B-cells. Conversely, a phosphomimetic mutation of Y20 induced oncogenic PI3K-signaling and initiated transformation of premalignant B-cells into overt leukemia. Functional experiments revealed a previously unrecognized function of Ifitm3 as PIP3-scaffold and central amplifier of PI3K signaling downstream of the BCR and adhesion receptors. PI3K signal-amplification depends on binding of Ifitm3 to PIP3 via two lysine residues (K83 and K104) in its conserved intracellular loop. In Ifitm3¯ / ¯ B-cells, lipid rafts were depleted of PIP3, resulting in defective expression of >60 lipid raft-associated surface receptors, which impaired BCR-signaling and cellular adhesion. We conclude that phosphorylation of IFITM3 upon Bcell antigen-encounter induces a dynamic switch from antiviral effector functions in endosomes to a PI3K-amplification loop at the cell surface. IFITM3-dependent amplification of PI3K-signaling downstream of the BCR and adhesion receptors is critical to enable rapid expansion of B-cells with high affinity to antigen. In addition, multiple oncogenes depend on IFITM3 to assemble PIP3- dependent signaling complexes and amplify PI3K-signaling for malignant transformation.