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USP7/HAUSP: A SUMO deubiquitinase at the heart of DNA replication

Veronique A J Smits1, Raimundo Freire1

  • 1Unidad de Investigación, Hosptial Universitario de Canarias, Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|July 5, 2016
PubMed

Insights

The deubiquitinase USP7/HAUSP uniquely removes SUMOylation at replication forks, acting as a SUMO deubiquitinase (SDUB). This finding reveals a new mechanism controlling DNA replication and genomic stability.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • DNA replication is a highly conserved and tightly regulated process crucial for genomic stability.
  • Dysfunctional DNA replication can lead to genomic instability and carcinogenesis.
  • Post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation, are increasingly recognized as key regulators of DNA replication proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the novel role of the deubiquitinase USP7/HAUSP in DNA replication control.
  • To highlight USP7's unique mechanism of deubiquitinating SUMOylated proteins at the replication fork.
  • To explore the implications of USP7 acting as a SUMO deubiquitinase (SDUB) for DNA replication and genomic stability.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and discussion of a recent study on USP7/HAUSP.
  • Analysis of post-translational modifications at the replication fork.
  • Integration of findings with existing knowledge on SUMOylation and ubiquitination in DNA replication.

Main Results:

  • USP7/HAUSP functions as a SUMO deubiquitinase (SDUB) at the replication fork.
  • USP7's activity involves the removal of SUMOylated proteins during DNA replication.
  • This mechanism contributes to the observed balance of SUMO and ubiquitin at ongoing replication forks.

Conclusions:

  • USP7/HAUSP plays a novel and critical role in regulating DNA replication through SUMO deubiquitination.
  • This discovery provides new insights into the mechanisms maintaining genomic stability.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the implications of USP7's SDUB activity.
Keywords:
DNA replicationDUBsSUMOUSP7post-translational modificationsubiquitin

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