Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40899993›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of cell biology2025

Telomeric SUMO level influences the choices of APB formation pathways and ALT efficiency.

Rongwei Zhao, Xiaoyang Yu, Tafadzwa Chigumira, Meng Xu, Allison Wivagg, Rachel M Lackner, Jayme Salsman, Graham Dellaire, Michael J Matunis, David M Chenoweth and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of cell biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Kinetic Control of Condensate Function: How the Formation Dynamics of APBs Influence ALT Cancer Telomere Length Heterogeneity.BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Rongwei ZhaoDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8329-3248
Xiaoyang YuDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0009-0007-2296-6067
Tafadzwa ChigumiraDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5366-8587
Meng XuDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9366-5746
Allison WivaggDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-5666-3020
Rachel M LacknerDepartment of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0612-7814
Jayme SalsmanDepartment of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9788-652X
Graham DellaireDepartment of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3466-6316
Michael J MatunisDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9350-6611
David M ChenowethDepartment of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0819-4669
Xiaolan ZhaoMolecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8302-6905
Huaiying ZhangDepartment of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1784-2664

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI SELWYN M VICKERS · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Regulation and Function of SUMO Protein Modification -Equipment SupplementR01GM060980 · NIGMS · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI MATUNIS, MICHAEL J. · 2000 to 2023
$7.1M
Regulation of genome replication, recombination, and stress responseR35GM145260 · NIGMS · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · PI Xiaolan Zhao · 2022 to 2026
$3.6M
Phase separation-induced nuclear organization in ALT CancerU01CA260851 · NCI · CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY · PI ZHANG, HUAIYING · 2020 to 2024
$2.6M
Targeting Nucleic Acid Junctions with Small MoleculesR01GM118510 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI CHENOWETH, DAVID MICHAEL · 2016 to 2020
$1.6M
CIHR PJT-156017NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748NCI NIH HHS U01 CA260851NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM060980NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM118510NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM145260NIH HHS GM060980NIH HHS GM118510NIH HHS R35 GM145260NIH HHS U01CA260851
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Many cancers use an alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway for telomere maintenance. ALT telomeric DNA synthesis occurs in ALT-associated PML bodies (APBs). However, the mechanisms by which APBs form are not well understood. Here, we monitored the formation of APBs with time-lapse imaging employing CRISPR knock-in to track the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein at endogenous levels. We found APBs form via two pathways: telomeres recruit PML proteins to nucleate PML bodies de novo, or telomeres fuse with preformed PML bodies. Both nucleation and fusion of APBs require interactions between SUMO and SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs). Moreover, APB nucleation is associated with higher levels of SUMO and SUMO-mediated recruitment of DNA helicase BLM, resulting in more robust telomeric DNA synthesis. Finally, further boosting SUMO levels at telomeres enhances APB nucleation, BLM enrichment, and telomeric DNA synthesis. Thus, high SUMO levels at telomeres promote APB nucleation and stronger ALT activity.

Indexed as

Promyelocytic Leukemia ProteinSmall Ubiquitin-Related Modifier ProteinsSUMO-1 ProteinTelomereTelomere HomeostasisHEK293 CellsHumansRecQ HelicasesSumoylationBloom syndrome proteinPML protein, humanPromyelocytic Leukemia ProteinRecQ HelicasesSmall Ubiquitin-Related Modifier ProteinsSUMO-1 Protein

Identifiers

PMID40899993
PMCPMC12422102

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.