Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39919186›Full record

ArticleScience advances2025

Single-stranded DNA binding to the transcription factor PafBC triggers the mycobacterial DNA damage response.

Charlotte M Schilling, Rafal Zdanowicz, Julius Rabl, Andreas U Müller, Daniel Boehringer, Rudi Glockshuber, Eilika Weber-Ban

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Journal of bacteriology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Charlotte M SchillingETH Zurich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-0132-6777
Rafal ZdanowiczETH Zurich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0005-5694-2704
Julius RablETH Zurich, Cryo-EM Knowledge Hub, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-6375-852X
Andreas U MüllerETH Zurich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-3002-3695
Daniel BoehringerETH Zurich, Cryo-EM Knowledge Hub, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-6666-8447
Rudi GlockshuberETH Zurich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-3320-3843
Eilika Weber-BanETH Zurich, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-5773-9274

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The DNA damage response in mycobacteria is controlled by the heterodimeric transcription factor PafBC, a member of the WYL domain-containing protein family. It has been shown that PafBC induces transcription of its regulon by reprogramming the housekeeping RNA polymerase holoenzyme to recognize PafBC-dependent promoters through sigma adaptation. However, the mechanism by which DNA damage is sensed and translated into PafBC activation has remained unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the binding of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to the WYL domains of PafBC activates the transcription factor. Our cryo-electron microscopy structure of full-length PafBC in its active conformation, bound to the transcription initiation complex, reveals a previously unknown mode of interaction between the ssDNA and the WYL domains. Using biochemical experiments, we show that short ssDNA fragments bind to PafBC dynamically, resulting in deactivation as ssDNA levels decrease postrepair. Our findings shed light on the mechanism linking DNA damage to PafBC activation and expand our understanding of WYL domain-containing proteins.

Indexed as

Bacterial ProteinsDNA DamageDNA, Single-StrandedTranscription FactorsCryoelectron MicroscopyDNA, BacterialGene Expression Regulation, BacterialModels, MolecularProtein BindingBacterial ProteinsDNA, BacterialDNA, Single-StrandedTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID39919186
PMCPMC11804915

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.