Disruption of the SAGA CORE triggers collateral degradation of KAT2A

The Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex regulates gene expression through histone acetylation at promoters, mediated by its histone acetyl transferase (HAT), KAT2A. While SAGA structure and function are well characterised, mechanisms controlling the stability of individual subunits, including KAT2A, remain unclear. Here, using a fluorescence-based KAT2A stability reporter, we systematically dissect the molecular dependencies controlling KAT2A protein abundance, and identify the non-enzymatic SAGA CORE module subunits-TADA1, TAF5L, and TAF6L- as necessary for KAT2A stability. Loss of these subunits disrupts SAGA complex integrity, leading to non-chromatin-bound KAT2A that is degraded by the proteasome and consequent reduced H3K9 acetylation. Proteomic profiling reveals progressive loss of components from the CORE and HAT modules upon acute SAGA CORE disruption, indicating that an intact CORE is required for the stability of numerous SAGA components. Finally, a focused CRISPR screen of ubiquitin-proteasome system genes identifies the E3 ligase UBR5, a known regulator of orphan protein degradation, and the deubiquitinase OTUD5, as regulators of KAT2A degradation when the SAGA CORE is perturbed. Together, these findings reveal a dependency of KAT2A protein stability on SAGA CORE integrity and define an orphan quality control mechanism targeting unassembled KAT2A, revealing a potential vulnerability in SAGA-driven malignancies.