2. Academic Validation
  3. Chromatin assembly factor 1 subunit A promotes TLS pathway by recruiting E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18 in cancer cells

Chromatin assembly factor 1 subunit A promotes TLS pathway by recruiting E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18 in cancer cells

  • Cell Death Dis. 2025 Mar 1;16(1):147. doi: 10.1038/s41419-025-07468-5.
Bing Wen 1,  Hai-Xiang Zheng 2,  Jing-Hua Heng 2,  Qian Tang 1,  Dan-Xia Deng 2,  Zhi-Da Zhang 1,  Lian-Di Liao 1,  Li-Yan Xu 3 4,  En-Min Li 5 6 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China.
  • 2 Chaoshan Branch of State Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China.
  • 3 The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China. lyxu@stu.edu.cn.
  • 4 Chaoshan Branch of State Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China. lyxu@stu.edu.cn.
  • 5 The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China. nmli@stu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Chaoshan Branch of State Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China. nmli@stu.edu.cn.
  • 7 The Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Biology, Shantou Academy of Medical Sciences, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R. China. nmli@stu.edu.cn.
PMID: 40025006 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-025-07468-5
Abstract

The translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) pathway mediated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) monoubiquitination is an essential mechanism by which Cancer cells bypass DNA damage caused by DNA damage to maintain genomic stability and cell survival. Chromatin assembly factor 1 subunit A (CHAF1A) traditionally promotes histone assembly during DNA replication. Here, we revealed that CHAF1A is a novel regulator of the TLS pathway in Cancer cells. CHAF1A promotes restart and elongation of the replication fork under DNA replication stress. Mechanistically, the C-terminal domain of CHAF1A directly interacts with E3 ubiquitin Ligase RAD18, enhancing RAD18 binding on the stalled replication fork. CHAF1A facilitates PCNA K164 monoubiquitination mediated by RAD18, thereby promoting the recruitment of Y-family DNA polymerases and enhancing Cancer cell resistance to DNA damage. In addition, CHAF1A-mediated RAD18 recruitment and PCNA monoubiquitination are independent of the CHAF1A-PCNA interaction and its histone assembly function. Taken together, these findings improve our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the TLS pathway and provide insights into the relationship between CHAF1A and DNA replication stress in Cancer cells.

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