Chromatin Replication: Safeguarding Epigenetic Inheritance and Genome Integrity

講演要旨

Chromatin replication is one of the most sophisticated molecular processes in cells, with profound effects on epigenetic inheritance and genome integrity. It unfolds in stages that must be tightly coordinated. Two major protein systems—the DNA replication machinery (replisome) and the nucleosome assembly machinery (histone chaperones)—must “effectively communicate” to ensure the process runs smoothly. In this lecture, I will review our current understanding of how these systems coordinate to maintain efficient, symmetrical histone segregation during chromatin replication and support epigenetic inheritance. On the one hand, managing histone trafficking and regulating the histone transfer module are critical to ensure epigenetic inheritance. On the other hand, their interplay also synchronizes DNA synthesis with nucleosome assembly.

I will also discuss our recent identification of a chromatin-based surveillance system, which we call the Chromatin Assembly Regulated Early-warning system (CARE system). It adjusts replisome activity to regulate replication speed, prevent replication stress, and maintain genome integrity.