Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42417194›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2026

APE1 binds and processes abasic sites present in i-motif DNA and cooperates with PCBP1 in maintenance of telomeric stability.

Alessia Bellina, Matilde Clarissa Malfatti, Tobias Obermann, Kayla Mae Grooms, Andreas Gjøsæther, Zahraa Othman, Gilmar Salgado, Daniela Marasco, Antonella Virgilio, Veronica Esposito and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

16 authors.

Alessia BellinaLaboratory of Molecular Biology and DNA Repair, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Matilde Clarissa MalfattiLaboratory of Molecular Biology and DNA Repair, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Tobias ObermannDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
Kayla Mae GroomsDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
Andreas GjøsætherDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
Zahraa OthmanDepartment of Life Sciences and Technology for Health, ARNA Laboratory, INSERM U1212, CNRS, UMR 5320, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
Gilmar SalgadoDepartment of Life Sciences and Technology for Health, ARNA Laboratory, INSERM U1212, CNRS, UMR 5320, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
Daniela MarascoDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Antonella VirgilioDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Veronica EspositoDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Giulia AntonialiLaboratory of Molecular Biology and DNA Repair, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Catia MioDepartment of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Matteo PivettaDepartment of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Magnar BjøråsDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8759-1170
Barbara van LoonDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-7597-207X
Gianluca TellLaboratory of Molecular Biology and DNA Repair, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Massimiliano Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8845-6448

Funding

AIRC IG 2024 - IDConsorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie 20224F7P9YConsorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie MUR-PRIN2022Ministry of Europe and Foreign AffairsUniversity of Udine
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) is a key enzyme in the base excision repair pathway, responsible for processing abasic (AP) sites. Recent studies revealed that APE1 participates in repairing DNA secondary structures as G-quadruplexes (G4). Telomeres, stabilized by shelterin proteins, are rich in G4, where APE1 binds and repairs AP-sites to maintain telomere integrity. The G4-complementary, cytosine-rich strand forms the i-motif (iM) structure, essential for telomere maintenance, though its repair mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we investigated APE1 binding and processing capabilities toward native and damaged telomeric iM, bearing AP-sites in different positions. Using biochemical and biophysical assays, we found that APE1 binds the telomeric iM sequence and that its cleavage efficiency depends on AP-site position within iM. Proximity ligation assay analysis, in HeLa and U2OS cells, highlighted a novel interaction between APE1 and PCBP1, a well-known iM-folding modulator. PCBP1 binds iM with higher affinity than APE1 and inhibits its cleavage activity on damaged iM. Immunofluorescence and telomere restriction fragment analyses showed that depletion of APE1 or PCBP1 impairs their interaction with the shelterin components, affecting telomere length. These results connect APE1 canonical DNA repair activity with the maintenance of non-canonical DNA secondary structures in telomeres, through its interaction with PCBP1.

Indexed as

DNADNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) LyaseDNA-Binding ProteinsTelomereTelomere HomeostasisDNA DamageDNA RepairExcision RepairG-QuadruplexesHeLa CellsHumansNucleotide MotifsProtein BindingRNA-Binding ProteinsAPEX1 protein, humanDNADNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) LyaseDNA-Binding ProteinsPCBP1 protein, humanRNA-Binding Proteins

Identifiers

PMID42417194
PMCPMC13343191

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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.