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The double-stranded DNA-binding proteins TEBP-1 and TEBP-2 form a telomeric complex with POT-1.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Almeida, Miguel Vasconcelos  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4816-3111
Nischwitz, Emily 
Schreier, Jan 

Abstract

Telomeres are bound by dedicated proteins, which protect them from DNA damage and regulate telomere length homeostasis. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a comprehensive understanding of the proteins interacting with the telomere sequence is lacking. Here, we harnessed a quantitative proteomics approach to identify TEBP-1 and TEBP-2, two paralogs expressed in the germline and embryogenesis that associate to telomeres in vitro and in vivo. tebp-1 and tebp-2 mutants display strikingly distinct phenotypes: tebp-1 mutants have longer telomeres than wild-type animals, while tebp-2 mutants display shorter telomeres and a Mortal Germline. Notably, tebp-1;tebp-2 double mutant animals have synthetic sterility, with germlines showing signs of severe mitotic and meiotic arrest. Furthermore, we show that POT-1 forms a telomeric complex with TEBP-1 and TEBP-2, which bridges TEBP-1/-2 with POT-2/MRT-1. These results provide insights into the composition and organization of a telomeric protein complex in C. elegans.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Animals, Genetically Modified, Base Sequence, Binding Sites, Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, DNA, DNA-Binding Proteins, Germ Cells, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiprotein Complexes, Mutation, Phylogeny, Protein Binding, Protein Isoforms, Telomere, Telomere-Binding Proteins

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

12

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) (407023052/GRK2526/1, 393547839 – SFB 1361)