Genome-scale CRISPR–Cas9 screens have identified genetic backgrounds that are vulnerable to inhibition of the SUMO modification pathway in human cells. These findings reveal that protein SUMOylation is essential for cell proliferation owing to a key role in complementary catenane resolution pathways that operate in interphase and mitosis to resolve intertwined DNA structures.
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This is a summary of: Hertz, E. P. T. et al. The SUMO–NIP45 pathway processes toxic DNA catenanes to prevent mitotic failure. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-023-01045-0 (2023).
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The essential functions of protein SUMOylation in cell proliferation. Nat Struct Mol Biol 30, 1252–1253 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-023-01046-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-023-01046-z