Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.07.27.222380v1?rss=1 Authors: Abdisalaam, S., Mukherjee, S., Bhattacharya, S., Sinha, D., Kumari, S., Sadek, H. A., Ortega, J., Li, G.-M., Aroumougame, A. Abstract: Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), an important component of immune signaling, is hyperactivated in cells defective for DNA damage response (DDR) signaling. However, a direct role for DDR factors in the regulation of cGAS functions is mostly unknown. Here, we provide novel evidence that Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 (NBS1) protein, a well-studied DNA double-strand break (DSB) sensor, in coordination with ATM, a protein kinase, and CtBP-interacting protein (CtIP), a DNA end resection factor, functions as an upstream regulator of cGAS binding to micronuclei. Upon NBS1 binding to micronuclei via its fork-head-associated domain, it recruits ATM and CtIP via its N- and C-terminal domains, respectively. Subsequently, ATM stabilizes NBS1's interaction with micronuclei, and CtIP converts DSB ends into single-strand DNA ends, and these two key events preclude cGAS from binding to micronuclei. Notably, we show that purified cGAS cannot form a complex with DNA substrates that mimic resected DNA ends in vitro. Thus, NBS1 together with its binding partners modify the chromatin architecture of the micronuclei and that plays a critical role in cGAS's binding to micronuclei. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info