Project description:A chromosome is composed of structurally and functionally distinct domains. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of chromatin structure and the function of subtelomeres, the telomere-adjacent regions, remain obscure. Here we report the roles of the conserved centromeric protein Shugoshin 2 (Sgo2) in defining chromatin structure and functions of the subtelomeres in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We show that Sgo2 localizes at the subtelomeres preferentially during G2 phase and is essential for the formation of a highly condensed subtelomeric chromatin body 'knob'. Furthermore, the absence of Sgo2 leads to the derepression of the subtelomeric genes and premature DNA replication at the subtelomeric late origins. Thus, the subtelomeric specialized chromatin domain organized by Sgo2 represses both transcription and replication to ensure proper gene expression and replication timing.
Project description:DNA replication is spatially and temporally regulated during S-phase. DNA replication timing is established in early G1-phase at a point referred to as TDP (timing decision point). We show that Rif1 (Rap1-interacting-factor1), originally identified as a telomere binding factor in yeast, is a critical determinant of the replication timing program in human cells. Depletion of Rif1 results in specific loss of mid-S replication foci profiles, stimulation of initiation events in early S-phase and changes in long-range replication timing domain structures. Overall replication timing is shifted toward mid-S in both directions, suggesting that replication timing regulation is abrogated in the absence of Rif1. Rif1 tightly binds to nuclear insoluble structures at late-M to early-G1 and regulates the chromatin-loop sizes. Furthermore, Rif1 colocalizes specifically with the mid-S replication foci. Thus, Rif1 establishes the mid-S replication domains that are restrained from being activated at early S-phase. Our results indicate that Rif1 plays crucial roles in determining the replication timing domain structures through regulating higher-order chromatin architecture. HeLa cells (ATCC), with a total of 4 individual replicates
Project description:DNA replication is spatially and temporally regulated during S-phase. DNA replication timing is established in early G1-phase at a point referred to as TDP (timing decision point). We show that Rif1 (Rap1-interacting-factor1), originally identified as a telomere binding factor in yeast, is a critical determinant of the replication timing program in human cells. Depletion of Rif1 results in specific loss of mid-S replication foci profiles, stimulation of initiation events in early S-phase and changes in long-range replication timing domain structures. Overall replication timing is shifted toward mid-S in both directions, suggesting that replication timing regulation is abrogated in the absence of Rif1. Rif1 tightly binds to nuclear insoluble structures at late-M to early-G1 and regulates the chromatin-loop sizes. Furthermore, Rif1 colocalizes specifically with the mid-S replication foci. Thus, Rif1 establishes the mid-S replication domains that are restrained from being activated at early S-phase. Our results indicate that Rif1 plays crucial roles in determining the replication timing domain structures through regulating higher-order chromatin architecture.