Project description:The SMC protein complexes safeguard genomic integrity through their functions in chromosome segregation and repair. The chromosomal localization of the budding yeast Smc5/6 complex here determined reveals that the complex works specifically on the duplicated genome in differently regulated pathways. One controls the association to centromeres and chromosome arms in unchallenged cells, the second regulates the association to DNA breaks, and the third directs the complex to the chromosome arm that harbors the ribosomal DNA arrays. The chromosomal interaction pattern predicts a function that becomes more important with increasing chromosome length, and that the complex's role in unchallenged cells is independent of DNA damage. Additionally, localization of Smc6 to collapsed replication forks indicates an involvement in their rescue. Altogether this shows that the complex maintains genomic integrity in multiple ways, and evidence is presented that the Smc5/6 complex is needed during replication to prevent the accumulation of branched chromosome structures. Keywords: ChIP-chip analysis
Project description:During meiosis, Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) complexes underpin two fundamental features of meiosis: homologous recombination and chromosome segregation. While meiotic functions of the cohesin and condensin complexes have been delineated, the role of the third SMC complex, Smc5/6, remains enigmatic. Diminished Smc5/6 function causes severe defects in nuclear division, but the underlying causes of these defects remain unclear. Here we identify specific, essential meiotic functions for the Smc5/6 complex in homologous recombination and regulation of cohesin. We show that Smc5/6 is enriched at centromeres and cohesin-association sites where it regulates sister-chromatid cohesion and the timely removal of cohesin from chromosomal arms, respectively. Smc5/6 also localizes to recombination hotspots, where it promotes normal formation and resolution of joint-molecule intermediates. Furthermore, we find that Smc5/6 specifically promotes resolution of joint molecules via the XPF-family endonuclease, Mus81-Mms4Eme1. We propose that Smc5/6 acts as a chaperone for M-bM-^@M-^XmitoticM-bM-^@M-^Y-like recombination processes during meiosis. ChIP-chip was used to compare Smc5 localization in wild-type and spo11 strains
Project description:During meiosis, Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) complexes underpin two fundamental features of meiosis: homologous recombination and chromosome segregation. While meiotic functions of the cohesin and condensin complexes have been delineated, the role of the third SMC complex, Smc5/6, remains enigmatic. Diminished Smc5/6 function causes severe defects in nuclear division, but the underlying causes of these defects remain unclear. Here we identify specific, essential meiotic functions for the Smc5/6 complex in homologous recombination and regulation of cohesin. We show that Smc5/6 is enriched at centromeres and cohesin-association sites where it regulates sister-chromatid cohesion and the timely removal of cohesin from chromosomal arms, respectively. Smc5/6 also localizes to recombination hotspots, where it promotes normal formation and resolution of joint-molecule intermediates. Furthermore, we find that Smc5/6 specifically promotes resolution of joint molecules via the XPF-family endonuclease, Mus81-Mms4Eme1. We propose that Smc5/6 acts as a chaperone for ‘mitotic’-like recombination processes during meiosis.
Project description:The essential functions of the conserved Smc5/6 complex remain elusive. To uncover its roles in genome maintenance, we established Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle-regulated alleles that enable restriction of Smc5/6 components to S or G2/M. Unexpectedly, the essential functions of Smc5/6 segregated fully and selectively to G2/M. Genetic screens that became possible with generated alleles identified processes that crucially rely on Smc5/6 specifically in G2/M: metabolism of DNA recombination structures triggered by endogenous replication stress, and replication through natural pausing sites located in late-replicating regions. In the first process, Smc5/6 modulates remodeling of recombination intermediates, cooperating with dissolution activities. In the second, Smc5/6 prevents chromosome fragility and toxic recombination instigated by prolonged pausing and the fork protection complex, Tof1-Csm3. Our results thus dissect Smc5/6 essential roles, and reveal that combined defects in DNA damage tolerance and pausing site-replication cause recombination-mediated DNA lesions, which we propose to drive developmental and cancer-prone disorders.
Project description:The Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) protein complexes cohesin, condensin and the Smc5/6 complex (Smc5/6) are essential for chromosome function. At the molecular level, these complexes fold DNA by loop extrusion. Accordingly, cohesin creates chromosome loops in interphase, and condensin compacts mitotic chromosomes. However, the role of Smc5/6’s recently discovered DNA loop extrusion activity is unknown. Here, we uncover that Smc5/6 controls the spatial organization of supercoiled chromosomal regions. The results show that Smc5/6 associates with transcription-induced positively supercoiled chromosomal DNA at cohesin-dependent chromosome loop boundaries. Mechanistically, single-molecule imaging reveals that dimers of Smc5/6 specifically recognize the tip of positively supercoiled DNA plectonemes, and efficiently initiates loop extrusion to gather the supercoiled DNA into a large plectonemic loop. Finally, Hi-C analysis shows that Smc5/6 links chromosomal regions containing transcription-induced positive supercoiling in cis. Altogether, our findings indicate that Smc5/6 controls the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes by recognizing and initiating loop extrusion on positively supercoiled DNA.
Project description:The Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) protein complexes cohesin, condensin and the Smc5/6 complex (Smc5/6) are essential for chromosome function. At the molecular level, these complexes fold DNA by loop extrusion. Accordingly, cohesin creates chromosome loops in interphase, and condensin compacts mitotic chromosomes. However, the role of Smc5/6’s recently discovered DNA loop extrusion activity is unknown. Here, we uncover that Smc5/6 controls the spatial organization of supercoiled chromosomal regions. The results show that Smc5/6 associates with transcription-induced positively supercoiled chromosomal DNA at cohesin-dependent chromosome loop boundaries. Mechanistically, single-molecule imaging reveals that dimers of Smc5/6 specifically recognize the tip of positively supercoiled DNA plectonemes, and efficiently initiates loop extrusion to gather the supercoiled DNA into a large plectonemic loop. Finally, Hi-C analysis shows that Smc5/6 links chromosomal regions containing transcription-induced positive supercoiling in cis. Altogether, our findings indicate that Smc5/6 controls the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes by recognizing and initiating loop extrusion on positively supercoiled DNA.
Project description:The Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) protein complexes cohesin, condensin and the Smc5/6 complex (Smc5/6) are essential for chromosome function. At the molecular level, these complexes fold DNA by loop extrusion. Accordingly, cohesin creates chromosome loops in interphase, and condensin compacts mitotic chromosomes. However, the role of Smc5/6’s recently discovered DNA loop extrusion activity is unknown. Here, we uncover that Smc5/6 controls the spatial organization of supercoiled chromosomal regions. The results show that Smc5/6 associates with transcription-induced positively supercoiled chromosomal DNA at cohesin-dependent chromosome loop boundaries. Mechanistically, single-molecule imaging reveals that dimers of Smc5/6 specifically recognize the tip of positively supercoiled DNA plectonemes, and efficiently initiates loop extrusion to gather the supercoiled DNA into a large plectonemic loop. Finally, Hi-C analysis shows that Smc5/6 links chromosomal regions containing transcription-induced positive supercoiling in cis. Altogether, our findings indicate that Smc5/6 controls the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes by recognizing and initiating loop extrusion on positively supercoiled DNA.