Affinage

SHLD1

Shieldin complex subunit 1 · UniProt Q8IYI0

Length
205 aa
Mass
22.9 kDa
Annotated
2026-06-10
30 papers in source corpus 15 papers cited in narrative 12 extracted findings
Cross-family judge vs UniProt: Affinage preferred faithfulness: 6/6 claims corpus-supported (100%)

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

SHLD1 (C20orf196) is a core subunit of the four-component shieldin complex (SHLD1-SHLD2-SHLD3-REV7) that protects DNA double-strand break ends to dictate repair pathway choice (PMID:30022168, PMID:30022158, PMID:30022119, PMID:30046110, PMID:30254264, PMID:30154076). Recruited to breaks downstream of 53BP1-RIF1, shieldin counteracts nucleolytic end resection and thereby promotes non-homologous end joining and immunoglobulin class switch recombination; its loss causes hyper-resection, defective class switching, and restoration of homologous recombination in BRCA1-deficient cells, conferring PARP inhibitor resistance (PMID:30022168, PMID:30022158, PMID:30022119, PMID:30046110, PMID:30254264, PMID:30154076). SHLD1 executes end protection chiefly by recruiting the CST complex to breaks, which engages Polα-primase for fill-in synthesis that limits single-stranded DNA at break ends (PMID:30022158, PMID:35027730). Complex assembly depends on a conformational dimer of REV7 in closed and open states organized by SHLD3 and SHLD2, an architecture that is actively dismantled by the TRIP13 ATPase to release shieldin and shift repair toward homologous recombination (PMID:32332881, PMID:33597306, PMID:31915374, PMID:34521823). The contribution of the direct SHLD1-CST contact is context-dependent: it is essential in BRCA1-deficient cells but dispensable at dysfunctional telomeres and during class switch recombination, where CST is recruited independently (PMID:35027730, PMID:40178294). SHLD1 expression is held at a low basal level by the THAP1-YY1-HCF1 transcription factor module, tuning the balance between end protection and resection (PMID:33857404).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 11 steps
  1. 2018 High

    Established SHLD1 as a previously uncharacterized factor that acts downstream of 53BP1-RIF1 to protect DNA ends, defining its role in repair pathway choice and PARP inhibitor response.

    Evidence CRISPR screens, Co-IP, epistasis, and DNA repair/localization assays in human cells

    PMID:30022119 PMID:30022158 PMID:30022168 PMID:30046110

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular basis of end protection not resolved at this stage
    • How SHLD1 within the complex is recruited to break-localized 53BP1-RIF1 not defined
  2. 2018 High

    Defined SHLD1 as part of a SHLD2-REV7 complex with direct ssDNA-binding activity (via SHLD2), pointing to a physical end-protection mechanism.

    Evidence Mass spectrometry interactome, Co-IP, in vitro ssDNA binding, epistasis, and live-cell localization

    PMID:30154076 PMID:30254264

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not establish SHLD1's own biochemical activity within the complex
    • Downstream effector of end protection not yet identified
  3. 2018 High

    Connected shieldin to a downstream effector pathway by showing it recruits CST and Polα-primase for fill-in synthesis that opposes resection.

    Evidence Co-IP of CST with shieldin, Polα localization at DSBs, depletion epistasis, BrdU incorporation

    PMID:30022158 PMID:35027730

    Open questions at the time
    • Precise SHLD1 residues/motif contacting CST not yet mapped here
    • Stoichiometry of CST/Polα engagement at breaks unresolved
  4. 2020 High

    Resolved how shieldin assembles, showing a SHLD3-organized REV7 closed/open conformational dimer required for complex integrity and NHEJ, and explaining mutual exclusivity with REV1/Pol-ζ.

    Evidence Crystal structure of SHLD3-REV7-SHLD2 with mutagenesis and NHEJ assays

    PMID:32332881 PMID:33597306

    Open questions at the time
    • SHLD1's position within the assembled complex not structurally resolved
    • Trigger that controls REV7 conformational state in vivo not defined
  5. 2020 High

    Identified TRIP13 as the ATPase that converts REV7 from closed to open, dissociating shieldin and shifting repair toward homologous recombination, linking the complex to PARPi resistance.

    Evidence Biochemical conformation assays, Co-IP, loss/gain-of-function, pathway choice assays; cryo-EM of SHLD2-SHLD3-REV7-TRIP13 (2021)

    PMID:31915374 PMID:33597306 PMID:34521823

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether SHLD1 influences TRIP13-mediated disassembly not directly tested
    • Regulation of TRIP13 activity at break sites unknown
  6. 2021 Medium

    Showed REV7 dimerization mediated by SHLD2 is required for shieldin assembly, NHEJ, CSR, and TRIP13 engagement, refining the assembly mechanism.

    Evidence Co-IP, dimerization-surface mutagenesis, NHEJ and CSR functional assays

    PMID:34521823

    Open questions at the time
    • Single lab
    • Direct contribution of SHLD1 to dimerization-dependent steps not isolated
  7. 2022 High

    Demonstrated SHLD1's principal function in BRCA1-deficient cells is to recruit CST, and that this requirement is context-specific (dispensable at telomeres and during CSR).

    Evidence SHLD1 CST-binding mutant, artificial CST tethering, functional rescue in BRCA1-deficient cells, CSR assays

    PMID:35027730

    Open questions at the time
    • Alternative CST-recruitment routes during CSR/at telomeres not mechanistically defined
    • Single lab
  8. 2022 Medium

    Separated SHLD1's roles in adaptive immunity, showing it is dispensable for V(D)J recombination but essential for restricting resection and enforcing orientation-specific joining at AID-induced breaks during CSR.

    Evidence SHLD1 knockout mice, B cell CSR and V(D)J assays, resection quantification

    PMID:35764636

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism of orientation-specific joining control not resolved
    • Single lab
  9. 2021 Medium

    Identified transcriptional control of SHLD1 by THAP1-YY1-HCF1 as a tuning point for end protection versus resection and a determinant of PARPi/cisplatin resistance.

    Evidence ChIP, promoter reporter assays, knockout mouse rescue of BRCA1-deficient phenotypes, drug sensitivity assays

    PMID:33857404

    Open questions at the time
    • Upstream signals regulating THAP1/YY1/HCF1 occupancy unknown
    • Single lab
  10. 2025 Medium

    Clarified that the direct SHLD1-CTC1 (LDLP-motif) interaction is dispensable for productive CSR despite SHLD1 and CTC1 being epistatic in restraining resection.

    Evidence CRISPR knockout of CTC1/SHLD1 in AID-inducible B cells, SHLD1ΔLDLP complementation, CSR and resection assays

    PMID:40178294

    Open questions at the time
    • How CST is engaged independently of the LDLP contact during CSR unknown
    • Single lab
  11. 2025 Medium

    Placed SHLD1 within pathway-choice logic by showing that loss of SHLD1-mediated end protection unleashes Polθ-dependent alternative end joining during CSR.

    Evidence XRCC4/SHLD1/Polθ knockouts in primary B cells, CSR assays, switch-junction sequencing

    PMID:41298353

    Open questions at the time
    • Determinants steering breaks to Polθ versus NHEJ when SHLD1 is lost not fully defined
    • Single lab

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • How SHLD1 itself is structurally positioned within assembled shieldin and what upstream signals govern its recruitment and conformational dynamics at breaks remain open.
  • No high-resolution structure placing SHLD1 in the full shieldin assembly
  • Post-translational regulation of SHLD1 at break sites uncharacterized

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0060090 molecular adaptor activity 2 GO:0098772 molecular function regulator activity 2
Localization
GO:0005634 nucleus 2 GO:0005694 chromosome 1
Pathway
R-HSA-168256 Immune System 3 R-HSA-73894 DNA Repair 3
Complex memberships
shieldin (SHLD1-SHLD2-SHLD3-REV7)

Evidence

Reading pass · 12 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2018 SHLD1 (C20orf196) is a core subunit of the shieldin complex (SHLD1-SHLD2-SHLD3-REV7), which localizes to DNA double-strand break sites in a 53BP1- and RIF1-dependent manner to protect DNA ends and promote non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Loss of SHLD1 impairs NHEJ, leads to defective immunoglobulin class switching, causes hyper-resection, and restores homologous recombination in BRCA1-deficient cells, conferring PARP inhibitor resistance. CRISPR screens, Co-IP, epistasis analysis, cellular DNA repair assays, immunofluorescence localization Nature High 30022119 30022158 30022168 30046110
2018 SHLD1 (C20orf196) forms a complex with FAM35A (SHLD2) and REV7, and this complex is recruited to DSBs downstream of RIF1 in vivo. The complex prevents DNA end resection in BRCA1-mutant cells. FAM35A preferentially binds single-strand DNA (ssDNA) in vitro, consistent with a direct DNA-end protection mechanism. Mass spectrometry-based interactome, Co-IP, in vitro ssDNA binding assay, epistasis analysis, live-cell localization Nature communications High 30154076 30254264
2018 Shieldin (including SHLD1) acts downstream of 53BP1-RIF1 and recruits the CST complex, which in turn recruits Polymerase-α (Polα)-primase to DSB sites to perform fill-in synthesis, thereby limiting single-stranded DNA at DSBs and counteracting resection. Co-IP of CST with shieldin, immunofluorescence co-localization of Polα at DSBs, depletion epistasis, BrdU incorporation at DSBs Nature High 30022158 35027730
2020 Crystal structure of the SHLD3-REV7-SHLD2 ternary complex revealed that shieldin assembly requires an unexpected conformational dimer of REV7 in closed (C-REV7) and open (O-REV7) states mediated by SHLD3, with SHLD2 interacting with O-REV7. The conserved FXPWFP motif of SHLD3 binds to C-REV7 and blocks REV1 binding, thereby excluding shieldin from the REV1/Pol-ζ translesion synthesis complex. Disruption of the REV7 conformational dimer abolishes shieldin assembly and impairs NHEJ. Crystal structure determination, mutagenesis, NHEJ efficiency assays Nature communications High 32332881 33597306
2021 Cryo-EM structures of the SHLD2-SHLD3-REV7-TRIP13 complex revealed that the N-terminus of REV7 inserts into the central channel of the TRIP13 hexamer, and ATP hydrolysis-triggered rotatory motions of TRIP13 pull the C-REV7 safety-belt segment through the channel, causing conformational disassembly of the shieldin complex. This TRIP13-mediated remodeling of shieldin promotes homology-directed repair at the expense of NHEJ. Cryo-EM structure, crystal structure of SHLD3-REV7 binary complex, in vitro disassembly assays Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 31915374 33597306
2020 TRIP13 ATPase catalyzes the transition of REV7 from an active 'closed' conformation to an inactive 'open' conformation, thereby dissociating the REV7-shieldin (including SHLD1-3) complex to promote homologous recombination and confer PARP inhibitor resistance. Biochemical conformation assays, Co-IP, loss-of-function and overexpression experiments, DNA repair pathway choice assays Nature cell biology High 31915374 34521823
2021 MAD2L2 (REV7) dimerization within shieldin is mediated by SHLD2 and is required for MAD2L2-SHLD3 interaction and proper shieldin complex assembly. Dimerization-defective MAD2L2 impairs shieldin assembly and fails to promote NHEJ. MAD2L2 dimerization together with SHLD3 enables shieldin to interact with the TRIP13 ATPase. Co-IP, mutagenesis of MAD2L2 dimerization surface, NHEJ functional assays, CSR assays Nature communications Medium 34521823
2022 In BRCA1-deficient cells, SHLD1 acts primarily by recruiting CST to DSBs, as CST tethered near DSBs bypassed the requirement for shieldin; a SHLD1 mutant defective in CST binding (SHLD1Δ) was non-functional in BRCA1-deficient cells. However, SHLD1Δ was fully functional at dysfunctional telomeres and during class switch recombination, where CST can be recruited independently of SHLD1. Mutagenesis of SHLD1 CST-binding domain, artificial tethering of CST to DSBs, functional rescue assays in BRCA1-deficient cells, CSR assays Nature cell biology High 35027730
2022 SHLD1 is dispensable for lymphocyte development and RAG-mediated V(D)J recombination (even in XLF-deficient cells), but is essential for restricting resection at AID-induced DSB ends during class switch recombination in both NHEJ-proficient and NHEJ-deficient B cells, and is required for orientation-specific joining of AID-initiated DSBs. SHLD1 knockout mice, B cell CSR assays, V(D)J recombination assays, resection quantification Nature communications Medium 35764636
2021 The transcription factors THAP1, YY1, and HCF1 bind directly to the SHLD1 promoter and cooperatively maintain the low basal expression of SHLD1, thereby controlling the balance between end protection and resection. Loss of THAP1-dependent SHLD1 expression confers PARP inhibitor and cisplatin cross-resistance in BRCA1-deficient cells. Ablation of SHLD1 rescues embryonic lethality and PARPi sensitivity of BRCA1-deficient mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, promoter reporter assays, knockout mouse models, PARP inhibitor sensitivity assays Molecular cell Medium 33857404
2025 CTC1 (of CST) and SHLD1 are epistatic in preventing exacerbated DNA end resection and genetic instability during class switch recombination. Notably, a SHLD1 mutant defective in CST binding via the LDLP motif (SHLD1ΔLDLP) is fully proficient for CSR, demonstrating that the direct SHLD1-CTC1 interaction through this specific motif is dispensable for CST and SHLD functions in promoting productive CSR. CRISPR knockout of CTC1 and SHLD1 in AID-inducible B cell lines, complementation with SHLD1ΔLDLP mutant, CSR assays, resection quantification European journal of immunology Medium 40178294
2025 In the absence of NHEJ (XRCC4 deficiency) or DSB end protection (SHLD1 deficiency) during class switch recombination, Polymerase theta (Pol θ) mediates an alternative end-joining pathway characterized by end resection, inversion, and microhomology usage. This Pol θ-mediated repair occurs at the G1-to-S phase transition and is independent of RHINO and PLK1. Knockout of XRCC4, SHLD1, and/or Pol θ in primary B cells, CSR assays, sequencing of switch junctions Nature communications Medium 41298353

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 30 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2018 The shieldin complex mediates 53BP1-dependent DNA repair. Nature 505 30022168
2018 53BP1-RIF1-shieldin counteracts DSB resection through CST- and Polα-dependent fill-in. Nature 356 30022158
2018 Shieldin complex promotes DNA end-joining and counters homologous recombination in BRCA1-null cells. Nature cell biology 338 30022119
2018 53BP1 cooperation with the REV7-shieldin complex underpins DNA structure-specific NHEJ. Nature 254 30046110
2007 An FKBP destabilization domain modulates protein levels in Plasmodium falciparum. Nature methods 198 17994030
2019 Shieldin - the protector of DNA ends. EMBO reports 188 30948458
2020 TRIP13 regulates DNA repair pathway choice through REV7 conformational change. Nature cell biology 129 31915374
2018 SHLD2/FAM35A co-operates with REV7 to coordinate DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice. The EMBO journal 124 30154076
2009 A calpain unique to alveolates is essential in Plasmodium falciparum and its knockdown reveals an involvement in pre-S-phase development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 84 19164769
2010 A Shld1-controlled POT1a provides support for repression of ATR signaling at telomeres through RPA exclusion. Molecular cell 77 21070964
2018 An OB-fold complex controls the repair pathways for DNA double-strand breaks. Nature communications 73 30254264
2009 Regulated expression of the Leishmania major surface virulence factor lipophosphoglycan using conditionally destabilized fusion proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 63 19383793
2022 53BP1-shieldin-dependent DSB processing in BRCA1-deficient cells requires CST-Polα-primase fill-in synthesis. Nature cell biology 55 35027730
2020 Molecular basis for assembly of the shieldin complex and its implications for NHEJ. Nature communications 41 32332881
2012 Systematic analysis of FKBP inducible degradation domain tagging strategies for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PloS one 41 22815885
2021 MAD2L2 dimerization and TRIP13 control shieldin activity in DNA repair. Nature communications 34 34521823
2019 Bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibition synergizes with WEE1-inhibitor AZD1775 effect by impairing nonhomologous end joining and enhancing DNA damage in nonsmall cell lung cancer. International journal of cancer 31 31199520
2017 An optimized, broadly applicable piggyBac transposon induction system. Nucleic acids research 25 28082389
2021 The dystonia gene THAP1 controls DNA double-strand break repair choice. Molecular cell 24 33857404
2021 Molecular mechanisms of assembly and TRIP13-mediated remodeling of the human Shieldin complex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 22 33597306
2020 SHLD2 promotes class switch recombination by preventing inactivating deletions within the Igh locus. EMBO reports 21 32558186
2022 SHLD1 is dispensable for 53BP1-dependent V(D)J recombination but critical for productive class switch recombination. Nature communications 19 35764636
2023 Identification of novel targets and pathways to distinguish suicide dependent or independent on depression diagnosis. Scientific reports 10 36781900
2017 Direct and tunable modulation of protein levels in rice and wheat with a synthetic small molecule. Plant biotechnology journal 8 28682500
2024 Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rev7 promotes non-homologous end-joining by blocking Mre11 nuclease and Rad50's ATPase activities and homologous recombination. eLife 5 39630591
2021 A Genome-Wide Association Study of Age-Related Hearing Impairment in Middle- and Old-Aged Chinese Twins. BioMed research international 5 34337005
2011 Double conditional human embryonic kidney cell line based on FLP and ΦC31 mediated transgene integration. BMC research notes 4 22008483
2025 Polymerase theta repairs persistent G1-induced DNA breaks in S-phase during class switch recombination. Nature communications 2 41298353
2025 CST Is Epistatic With Shieldin to Limit DNA Double-Strand Break End Resection and Promote Repair During Igh Class Switch Recombination. European journal of immunology 0 40178294
2025 [Transcriptomic Profile of the Trastuzumab-Resistant Breast Cancer Cell Line BT-474]. Molekuliarnaia biologiia 0 41090333

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