Control of genome stability at specific loci
BRCA1 at centromeres – We have been among the first to discover a novel function for BRCA1 in maintaining centromere integrity; we have shown that BRCA1, a protein necessary for the repair of DSBs by RH, is constitutively associated with the chromatin at centromers of certain human chromosomes and that its depletion disrupts the centromere integrity (Di Paolo et al. 2014).
Telomeres and G-quadruplexes – A G quadruplex (G4) is a particular structure of DNA or RNA adopted by guanine rich sequences. Specifically, the G-rich strand of telomeres is prone to structuration in G4s. G4 ligands induce the stabilisation of these secondary DNA structures, leading to replication- and transcription- dependent DSB. Our team has acquired an expertise in G4 and their ligands (Bombarde et al. 2010; Gomez et al. 2010; Romera et al. 2011; Sabater et al. 2015) and is engaged in understanding the molecular basis of the clastogenic properties of G4 ligands.
