Marta San Martin-Alonso

Bio: Marta San Martin-Alonso is an academic researcher from Spanish National Research Council. The author has contributed to research in topics: DNA damage & DNA. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 5 publications receiving 27 citations. Previous affiliations of Marta San Martin-Alonso include Leiden University Medical Center.

The antitumor drugs trabectedin and lurbinectedin induce transcription-dependent replication stress and genome instability

Abstract: R-loops are a major source of replication stress, DNA damage, and genome instability, which are major hallmarks of cancer cells. Accordingly, growing evidence suggests that R-loops may also be related to cancer. Here we show that R-loops play an important role in the cellular response to trabectedin (ET743), an anticancer drug from marine origin and its derivative lurbinectedin (PM01183). Trabectedin and lurbinectedin induced RNA-DNA hybrid-dependent DNA damage in HeLa cells, causing replication impairment and genome instability. We also show that high levels of R-loops increase cell sensitivity to trabectedin. In addition, trabectedin led to transcription-dependent FANCD2 foci accumulation, which was suppressed by RNase H1 overexpression. In yeast, trabectedin and lurbinectedin increased the presence of Rad52 foci, a marker of DNA damage, in an R-loop-dependent manner. In addition to providing new insights into the mechanisms of action of these drugs, our study reveals that R-loops could be targeted by anticancer agents. Given the increasing evidence that R-loops occur all over the genome, the ability of lurbinectedin and trabectedin to act on them may contribute to enhance their efficacy, opening the possibility that R-loops might be a feature shared by specific cancers. IMPLICATIONS: The data presented in this study provide the new concept that R-loops are important cellular factors that contribute to trabectedin and lurbinectedin anticancer activity.

Harmful DNA:RNA hybrids are formed in cis and in a Rad51-independent manner.

Abstract: DNA:RNA hybrids constitute a well-known source of recombinogenic DNA damage. The current literature is in agreement with DNA:RNA hybrids being produced co-transcriptionally by the invasion of the nascent RNA molecule produced in cis with its DNA template. However, it has also been suggested that recombinogenic DNA:RNA hybrids could be facilitated by the invasion of RNA molecules produced in trans in a Rad51-mediated reaction. Here, we tested the possibility that such DNA:RNA hybrids constitute a source of recombinogenic DNA damage taking advantage of Rad51-independent single-strand annealing (SSA) assays in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For this, we used new constructs designed to induce expression of mRNA transcripts in trans with respect to the SSA system. We show that unscheduled and recombinogenic DNA:RNA hybrids that trigger the SSA event are formed in cis during transcription and in a Rad51-independent manner. We found no evidence that such hybrids form in trans and in a Rad51-dependent manner.

Harmful R-loops are prevented via different cell cycle-specific mechanisms.

Abstract: Identifying how R-loops are generated is crucial to know how transcription compromises genome integrity. We show by genome-wide analysis of conditional yeast mutants that the THO transcription complex, prevents R-loop formation in G1 and S-phase, whereas the Sen1 DNA-RNA helicase prevents them only in S-phase. Interestingly, damage accumulates asymmetrically downstream of the replication fork in sen1 cells but symmetrically in the hpr1 THO mutant. Our results indicate that: R-loops form co-transcriptionally independently of DNA replication; that THO is a general and cell-cycle independent safeguard against R-loops, and that Sen1, in contrast to previously believed, is an S-phase-specific R-loop resolvase. These conclusions have important implications for the mechanism of R-loop formation and the role of other factors reported to affect on R-loop homeostasis.

Harmful DNA:RNA hybrids are formed in cis and in a Rad51-independent manner

Abstract: DNA:RNA hybrids constitute a well-known source of recombinogenic DNA damage. The current literature is in agreement with DNA:RNA hybrids being produced co-transcriptionally by the invasion of the nascent RNA molecule produced in cis with its DNA template. However, it has also been suggested that recombinogenic DNA:RNA hybrids could be facilitated by the invasion of RNA molecules produced in trans in a Rad51-mediated reaction. Here, we tested the possibility that such DNA:RNA hybrids produced in trans constitute a source of recombinogenic DNA damage taking advantage of Rad51-independent single-strand annealing recombination assays and new constructs designed to induce expression of mRNA transcripts in trans in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that unscheduled and recombinogenic DNA:RNA hybrids are formed in cis during transcription and in a Rad51-independent manner.

Histone H3E73Q and H4E53A mutations cause recombinogenic DNA damage

Abstract: The stability and function of eukaryotic genomes is closely linked to histones and to chromatin structure The state of the chromatin not only affects the probability of DNA to undergo damage but also DNA repair DNA damage can result in genetic alterations and subsequent development of cancer and other genetic diseases Here, we identified two mutations in conserved residues of histone H3 and histone H4 (H3E73Q and H4E53A) that increase recombinogenic DNA damage Our results suggest that the accumulation of DNA damage in these histone mutants is largely independent on transcription and might arise as a consequence of problems occurring during DNA replication This study uncovers the relevance of H3E73 and H4E53 residues in the protection of genome integrity

Enriching cancer pharmacology with drugs of marine origin

Abstract: Marine natural products have proven, over the last half-century, to be effective biological modulators. These molecules have revealed new targets for cancer therapy as well as dissimilar modes of action within typical classes of drugs. In this scenario, innovation from marine-based pharmaceuticals has helped advance cancer chemotherapy in many aspects, as most of these are designated as first-in-class drugs. Here, by examining the path from discovery to development of clinically approved drugs of marine origin for cancer treatment-cytarabine (Cytosar-U®), trabectedin (Yondelis®), eribulin (Halaven®), brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®), and plitidepsin (Aplidin®)- together with those in late clinical trial phases-lurbinectedin, plinabulin, marizomib, and plocabulin-the present review offers a critical analysis of the contributions given by these new compounds to cancer pharmacotherapy.

R-loops as Janus-faced modulators of DNA repair.

Abstract: R-loops are non-B DNA structures with intriguing dual consequences for gene expression and genome stability In addition to their recognized roles in triggering DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), R-loops have recently been demonstrated to accumulate in cis to DSBs, especially those induced in transcriptionally active loci In this Review, we discuss whether R-loops actively participate in DSB repair or are detrimental by-products that must be removed to avoid genome instability

Inhibition of transcription by dactinomycin reveals a new characteristic of immunogenic cell stress.

Abstract: Chemotherapy still constitutes the standard treatment for most cancers. Yet, some chemotherapeutics are able to trigger pre-mortem stress signals which activate an antitumor immune response and thereby confer long term protection. We used an established model built on artificial intelligence to identify, among a library of 50,000 compounds, anticancer agents that, based on their physicochemical characteristics, were predicted to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). This algorithm led us to the identification of dactinomycin, which indeed activates the mechanisms preceding dendritic cell activation in vitro and demonstrates immune-dependent anticancer effects in vivo. Dactinomycin, mainly used to treat pediatric sarcomas, is known as able to inhibit transcription. We therefore investigated whether other ICD inducers would share this characteristic. Different immunogenic chemotherapeutics indeed inhibited RNA synthesis and secondarily translation, accompanied by an activation of ICD-related signaling. A retrospective in silico study revealed that agents annotated as inhibitors of RNA or protein synthesis are predicted as immunogenic. These results establish the inhibition of RNA synthesis as a major initial event for ICD induction.

BRCA1 binds TERRA RNA and suppresses R-Loop-based telomeric DNA damage

Abstract: R-loop structures act as modulators of physiological processes such as transcription termination, gene regulation, and DNA repair. However, they can cause transcription-replication conflicts and give rise to genomic instability, particularly at telomeres, which are prone to forming DNA secondary structures. Here, we demonstrate that BRCA1 binds TERRA RNA, directly and physically via its N-terminal nuclear localization sequence, as well as telomere-specific shelterin proteins in an R-loop-, and a cell cycle-dependent manner. R-loop-driven BRCA1 binding to CpG-rich TERRA promoters represses TERRA transcription, prevents TERRA R-loop-associated damage, and promotes its repair, likely in association with SETX and XRN2. BRCA1 depletion upregulates TERRA expression, leading to overly abundant TERRA R-loops, telomeric replication stress, and signs of telomeric aberrancy. Moreover, BRCA1 mutations within the TERRA-binding region lead to an excess of TERRA-associated R-loops and telomeric abnormalities. Thus, normal BRCA1/TERRA binding suppresses telomere-centered genome instability.