Yes / R-loops are by-products of transcription that must be tightly regulated to maintain genomic stability and gene expression. Here, we describe a mechanism for the regulation of the Rloop- specific helicase, senataxin (SETX), and identify the ubiquitin specific peptidase 11 (USP11) as an R-loop regulator. USP11 de-ubiquitinates SETX and its depletion increases SETX K48-ubiquitination and protein turnover. Loss of USP11 decreases SETX steady-state levels and reduces R-loop dissolution. Ageing of USP11 knockout cells restores SETX levels via compensatory transcriptional downregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, KEAP1. Loss of USP11 reduces SETX enrichment at KEAP1 promoter, leading to R-loop accumulation, enrichment of the endonuclease XPF and formation of double-strand breaks. Overexpression of KEAP1 increases SETX K48-ubiquitination, promotes its degradation and R-loop accumulation. These data define a ubiquitination-dependent mechanism for SETX regulation, which is controlled by the opposing activities of USP11 and KEAP1 with broad applications for cancer and neurological disease. / Wellcome Trust Investigator Award, Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine Fellowship

MITF (MIcrophthalmia-associated Transcription Factor) contrôle de multiples aspects de la physiopathologie du lignage mélanocytaire. Par des techniques de génomique haut débit (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq), nous avons montré que MITF active un ensemble de gènes impliqués dans la réplication et la réparation de l’ADN ainsi que la mitose pour stimuler la prolifération des cellules de mélanome, et réprime des gènes contrôlant leur caractère invasif. Pour étudier le mécanisme d’action de MITF, son interactome a été déterminé par spectrométrie de masse mettant en évidence de nombreux partenaires à activité co-activateur ou co-répresseur (bcaténine, complexes de remodelage de la chromatine BRG1 et NURF) ainsi que des facteurs intervenant dans le cycle de l’ubiquitination et de déubuquitination (HERC2 et USP11). Une caractérisation fonctionnelle de HERC2 et USP11 suggère qu’ils agissent comme des cofacteurs transcriptionnels de MITF essentiels pour la prolifération des cellules de mélanome. / MITF (MIcrophthalmia-associated Transcription Factor) controls multiple aspects of the physiopathology of the melanocyte lineage. Using high throughput genomics techniques (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq), we show that MITF activates a set of genes involved in DNA replication and repair as well as mitosis to promote melanoma cell proliferation, while repressing genes involved in promoting their invasion. To better understand how MITF acts both as a transcriptional activator and repressor, we characterized the MITF interactome by tandem immuno-affinity purification and mass-spectrometry. A complex set of partners with coactivatoror co-repressor properties were identified (b-catenin, the BRG1 and NURF chromatin remodeling complexes) as well as novel factors with ubiquitin E3 ligase (HERC2) and ubiquitin-specific protease (USP11) activities. Functional characterization of HERC2 and USP11 suggests that they act as transcriptional cofactors for MITF essential for melanoma cell proliferation.