| 2009 |
Mammalian CTC1 forms an RPA-like trimeric complex with STN1 and TEN1 (CST complex) that binds single-stranded DNA with high affinity in a sequence-independent manner and associates with a fraction of telomeres throughout the cell cycle. STN1 knockdown caused significant increases in single-stranded G-strand telomeric DNA, indicating a role in DNA metabolism at telomeres. |
Protein isolation, ssDNA binding assays, immunofluorescence/colocalization, knockdown with telomere analysis |
Molecular cell |
High |
19854130
|
| 2011 |
Xenopus CST (xCST) complex is involved in priming DNA synthesis on single-stranded DNA templates via regulation of DNA polymerase α-primase; immunodepletion of xStn1 blocked DNA synthesis on ssDNA template but not on pre-primed ssDNA, indicating CST acts at the priming step. |
Xenopus egg extract reconstitution, immunodepletion of xStn1, in vitro DNA replication assay on ssDNA templates |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
High |
22086929
|
| 2012 |
CTC1 is a subunit of the α-accessory factor (AAF) complex that stimulates the activity of DNA polymerase-α primase. CTC1 mutations in Coats plus patients result in shortened telomeres and increased spontaneous γH2AX-positive cells. |
Patient mutation analysis, telomere length measurement, γH2AX immunostaining in patient-derived cell lines |
Nature genetics |
Medium |
22267198
|
| 2012 |
Conditional deletion of CTC1 in mice leads to ATR-dependent G2/M checkpoint activation, global cellular proliferative defects, bone marrow failure, and catastrophic telomere loss. CTC1 facilitates telomere replication by promoting efficient restart of stalled replication forks, and its deletion causes increased loss of leading C-strand telomeres and accumulation of excessive ssDNA telomere sequences. CTC1 is not required for telomere capping. |
Conditional mouse knockout (Cre-lox), flow cytometry, telomere FISH, BrdU incorporation, ATR pathway analysis |
The EMBO journal |
High |
22531781
|
| 2013 |
Disease mutations in CTC1 disrupt: (1) CST complex formation with STN1/TEN1; (2) physical interaction with DNA polymerase α-primase; (3) telomeric ssDNA binding in vitro; (4) nuclear accumulation; and/or (5) telomere association in vivo. All mutations commonly lead to accumulation of internal single-stranded gaps of telomeric DNA, indicating telomere DNA replication defects. Some CTC1 mutations also unleash telomerase repression and telomere length control. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, in vitro ssDNA binding assays, immunofluorescence, telomere FISH, active-site/disease mutation analysis |
Genes & development |
High |
24115768
|
| 2013 |
CTC1 frameshift mutations generate truncated or unstable protein products that cannot form a complex with STN1-TEN1 at telomeres, resulting in progressive telomere shortening and chromosome fusions. CTC1 missense mutations can form the CST complex at telomeres but may be repressed by frameshift mutants. CTC1 mutations promote telomere dysfunction by decreasing STN1 stability and reducing STN1's ability to interact with DNA Pol-α. |
Biochemical characterization of mutant proteins, Co-IP, telomere FISH, chromosomal fusion analysis in human cells |
Aging cell |
Medium |
23869908
|
| 2017 |
Disruption of CTC1 in human cells results in elongation of the 3′ G-strand overhang, accumulation of RPA at telomeres, and telomeric DNA damage signaling. C-strand length decreases continuously following CTC1 disruption while G-strand initially grows (due to telomerase), indicating CST-mediated C-strand fill-in is essential for telomere length maintenance and that telomerase-mediated G-strand extension and CST-mediated C-strand fill-in are equally important. |
CTC1 disruption in human cells, telomere overhang assays, RPA ChIP, telomere length measurement over time |
Nucleic acids research |
High |
28334750
|
| 2017 |
Human CST complex localizes to ALT-associated PML bodies (APBs) in ALT cancer cells. CST suppression in ALT cells induces telomere fragility, elevated telomeric DNA recombination, reduces C-circle and t-circle abundance, and causes multinucleation. |
IF colocalization in ALT cells, CST knockdown, C-circle assay, telomere FISH |
Experimental cell research |
Medium |
28366536
|
| 2018 |
Crystal structure of a central OB-fold domain of human CTC1 was determined. This domain does not directly contribute to substrate binding but affects full-length CTC1 localization to telomeres and STN1-TEN1 binding. Disease mutations R840W and V871M contribute to the fold of this domain. Deletion of this OB-fold domain leads to increased telomere length, frequency of internal single G-strands, and fragile telomeres. |
X-ray crystallography, in vitro binding assays, site-directed mutagenesis, telomere localization assays, telomere FISH |
Nucleic acids research |
High |
29228254
|
| 2018 |
CTC1-STN1 interaction is required to repress telomerase activity. CTC1^L1142H mutation impairs CTC1-STN1 interaction, leading to telomerase-mediated telomere elongation. Impaired CTC1^L1142H:STN1 interaction with DNA Pol-α results in increased telomerase recruitment and further telomere elongation. CST binding to DNA Pol-α is required to fully repress telomerase activity. CST mutants that fail to interact with DNA Pol-α result in loss of C-strand maintenance and catastrophic telomere shortening. |
CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in of disease mutation, Co-IP, telomere length analysis, telomerase recruitment assay |
Aging cell |
High |
29774655
|
| 2018 |
Pathogenic CTC1 missense and small deletion mutations induce spontaneous chromosome breakage and severe chromosome fragmentation elevated by replication stress, leading to global genome instabilities. These mutations abolish or reduce CST interaction with RAD51, disrupt RAD51 foci formation, and/or diminish binding to GC-rich genomic fragile sites. The aa 600-989 region of CTC1 contains a RAD51-interacting domain. |
Co-IP (CST-RAD51), RAD51 foci immunofluorescence, chromosome breakage analysis, fragile site FISH, disease mutation panel |
Nucleic acids research |
Medium |
29481669
|
| 2018 |
CTC1-STN1 limits telomerase action to prevent G-overhang overextension. CTC1-/- cells exhibit telomeric DNA damage and growth arrest due to overhang elongation. CTC1-STN1 retains ssDNA binding affinity but TEN1 stabilizes binding. CTC1-STN1 binding is sufficient to terminate telomerase action, but without TEN1 it cannot properly engage DNA polymerase α on the overhang for C-strand synthesis. |
CRISPR knockout of individual CST subunits (CTC1, TEN1), ssDNA binding assays, telomere overhang analysis, cell proliferation assays |
Nature communications |
High |
30026550
|
| 2020 |
CTC1 knockout inhibits CHK1 phosphorylation following hydroxyurea-induced replication stress by causing decreased levels of the ATR activator TopBP1. CTC1 KO activates ATR locally at telomeres (leading to RPA and ATR autophosphorylation) but does not elicit a global checkpoint response through CHK1. ATR but not CHK1 or ATM is required for G2 arrest and RPA phosphorylation following CTC1 removal. |
Conditional CTC1 knockout, phospho-CHK1/RPA/ATR immunoblot, TopBP1 protein level analysis, ATR/CHK1/ATM inhibition epistasis |
Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) |
Medium |
33269665
|
| 2023 |
CTC1 OB-B domain is a key determinant of telomerase termination but not C-strand synthesis. CTC1-ΔB expression rescues C-strand fill-in and prevents telomeric DNA damage but causes progressive telomere elongation and accumulation of telomerase at telomeres. CTC1 OB-B domain mediates interaction with TPP1, and this CTC1-TPP1 interaction plays a key role in telomerase termination. OB-B point mutations weakening TPP1 association track with inability to limit telomerase action. |
CTC1 domain deletion/point mutant panel in CTC1-/- cells, Co-IP (CST-TPP1), telomere length analysis, telomerase ChIP, C-strand fill-in assays |
Nucleic acids research |
High |
37021555
|
| 2025 |
The CST complex suppresses DNA end resection by EXO1 and the BLM-DNA2 helicase-nuclease complex, controlling DSB repair pathway choice between end joining and homologous recombination. CST acts as a central 53BP1 axis component. BRCA1-BARD1 alleviates CST-imposed EXO1 blockade but has little effect on BLM-DNA2 restriction. CST mutants impaired for DNA binding or BLM-EXO1 interaction exhibit hyper-resection and render BRCA1-deficient cells resistant to PARP inhibitors. |
Epistasis genetics, resection assays, CST DNA-binding and protein interaction mutants, PARP inhibitor sensitivity in BRCA1-deficient cells, in vitro reconstitution of end resection |
Science (New York, N.Y.) |
High |
40403056
|
| 2025 |
STN1 directly interacts with CTC1 and stabilizes CTC1 by preventing its TRIM32-mediated ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. TRIM32 interacts with the OB-G domain of CTC1 near the STN1-interacting 'cleft' motif, and STN1 binding to this region competes with TRIM32 to protect CTC1 from degradation. TRIM32 and the CTC1/STN1 complex exert opposing effects on cellular proliferation. |
Co-IP (STN1-CTC1, TRIM32-CTC1), ubiquitination assays, proteasome inhibitor rescue, AlphaFold3 structural modeling, knockdown/overexpression proliferation assays |
Aging cell |
Medium |
40923710
|