The CGG triplet repeat binding protein 1 counteracts DNA secondary structure-induced transcription-replication conflicts

Abstract

Short tracts of trinucleotide repeats with less than 10 repeats are found frequently throughout the genome without any apparent negative impact on DNA replication fork progression or transcription elongation. CGG binding protein 1 (CGGBP1) binds to CGG triplet repeats and has been implicated in multiple cellular processes such as transcription, replication and DNA damage. Here, we show that CGGBP1 binds to human gene promoter sites prone to G-quadruplex and R-loop secondary structure formation. Altering CGGBP1 levels results in the accumulation of R-loops and causes a defect in transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II, which subsequently leads to replication fork stalling and transcription-replication conflicts. Together, our work shows that short trinucleotide repeats are a source of genome-destabilizing secondary structures and cells rely on specific DNA-binding factors to maintain proper transcription and replication progression at short trinucleotide repeats.